Austin Wells’ Yankees cleanup feat revives TikTok stardom thanks to 16-year-old girl

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On a Yankees’ off day, 16-year-old fan Maggie Newsom from Galway, New York, brought new life to an old Austin Wells TikTok video by sharing it on her X account. The video, originally posted by the backstop in 2020, showcased him dancing in an empty parking lot to the electronic track “Shooting Stars” by Bag Raiders, rather than demonstrating his baseball skills. Filmed from a slowly moving car, the Austin Wells clip quickly caught attention online.

Newsom, who found the video amusing and felt it deserved more recognition, shared that her father is a big fan of Austin Wells’ play on the field. “I thought it was so funny and that there was no way this has not been found, so I posted it,” she said to The Daily News.

When asked about the clip, the Yankees rookie said he was proud of his dance moves from back in the day, “I had moves back then.”

The video, featuring Austin Wells with a beard and sporting a ripped shirt, went viral almost overnight. By the next game, he had adopted “Shooting Stars” as his walk-up song at Yankee Stadium, creating a memorable moment for both fans and players.

Austin Wells offered some background on the viral video, explaining that he made it out of boredom while attending the University of Arizona during the pandemic. It took several takes to get it right, and he admitted he’s not a regular on TikTok, unsure how the video resurfaced.

Aspiring Yankees broadcaster Newsom expressed surprise at how quickly the video took off, never expecting her post to have such an impact. “I did not expect that,” she told. “That’s crazy. I did not think it would resurface like that!”

Newsom, the fan who brought the video back into the spotlight, said she found Wells’ TikTok through his girlfriend’s page. Austin Wells appreciated the effort, praising the fan’s dedication, “She’s digging in there, I like that.”.

This incident highlights how social media can unexpectedly shape the professional sports landscape, connecting fans with players’ off-field personalities and creating fun, unplanned moments that resonate both inside and outside the stadium.

Yankees double up Austin Wells’ social media fame

Teammates also found humor in the unexpected throwback. Juan Soto praised the TikTok for boosting morale and bringing a light-hearted vibe to the clubhouse.

“It was great,” the slugger said. “He made a great TikTok video. It was funny. It gets everybody going. It gets the vibes. I mean, what else we can ask for?”

The unexpected choice of walk-up music seemed to spark something in Austin Wells’ game. After the upbeat track played, he smashed a pivotal two-run homer in the third inning, breaking a 2-2 deadlock and helping propel the Yankees to a 6-3 win over the Cardinals.

The Yankees’ social media team joined in on the fun, sharing posts that nodded to Austin Wells’ viral TikTok video, further amplifying the buzz around his new walk-up anthem.

Austin Wells wasn’t finished, either. In the eighth inning, he launched another two-run shot, this time a 413-foot blast. Interestingly, “Shooting Stars” wasn’t played before this at-bat—Wells had requested the song for only two of his plate appearances that night.

When asked if the tune would remain his walk-up music, Austin Wells said he was open to keeping it, curious to see if it continued to bring him good luck.

His teammates got a kick out of it, and when the Yankees catcher mentioned changing his walk-up music, Anthony Volpe pushed him to use the song from the viral clip. Austin Wells agreed, and the decision was an instant hit.

“All the guys had a pretty good kick out of it. So it was pretty funny. And I wanted to change my walk-up song anyways,” he explained. “And then [Anthony] Volpe was like, ‘Dude, you gotta do the song. You have to do the song!’ And I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll do it.’ And then it worked out pretty well.”

Taking it all in stride, Austin Wells said he had expected the video to resurface eventually, though it took longer than he anticipated. He underscored the importance of being mindful of what one shares online but noted he was fine with this particular clip going public. Relieved that the content was lighthearted, Austin Wells showed he’s comfortable with the unexpected moments that come with being a professional athlete in the social media era.

Austin Wells, now with 12 home runs this season, received key contributions from his teammates to bolster the Yankees’ offense. Anthony Volpe added a sacrifice fly in the second inning, allowing Giancarlo Stanton to score from third after Stanton led off the inning with a scorching 116.5-mph double.

His recent surge at the plate marks a notable turnaround. In his last 30 games, the rookie catcher is hitting .327 with six home runs and 22 RBIs—vastly improved from his early-season performance when he batted .213 with six homers and 20 RBIs through July 21.

The Yankees have a storied tradition of catchers who can hit, from Bill Dickey to Yogi Berra, Elston Howard, Thurman Munson, and Jorge Posada. Austin Wells is starting to add his name to that legacy, flashing the offensive potential that made him the Yankees’ first-round draft pick in 2020. At 25, he’s making his mark not only on the field but also online, thanks to the recent revival of his dance video.

Austin Wells noted that his teammates got a kick out of the clip, and he’s embracing the unexpected spotlight. He said he was glad the video resurfaced in a positive light, showing his easygoing nature off the field.

Marcus Stroman praised Austin Wells for his work behind the plate, emphasizing the catcher’s knack for calling the game. Stroman mentioned his confidence in executing his pitch selections, which has coincided with Stroman posting a 2.35 ERA over his last four starts. This recognition highlights Austin Wells’ growing impact, proving his worth both as a hitter and a catcher and cementing his role as an essential piece of the Yankees’ lineup.

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